Interviews

Colour

This is a big one! Colour can make a huge difference to the impression you create. It needs to be appropriate to your environment, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be boring.Black and a very light colour including white is a very authoritative combination and can cause others to become defensive if not worn with care. However if you combine black with a more striking colour (if your skin tone allows this – it can overwhelm some people) it becomes interesting, whilst still being powerful.A more approachable business colour is navy, especially when combined with a medium strength pastel. This encourages good communication.Red is a great colour to draw attention and can look dynamic worn the the right way. If you have a strong natural personality, wear red in small quantities.Take care with colours such as lime green, orange or yellow as they can be perceived as frivolous in the workplace. If you love these colours and they express your personality, consider adding them in small doses or in your accessories as you can remove these easily if you need to quickly change your look.

Confidence

Knowing your style and the colours that work for you can add to your personal confidence. If you know you look good you can forget about what you are wearing and concentrate on doing what you do best!

Comfort

In the context of clothes which compliment who you are, this is important. However, don’t let comfort become sloppy as comfort over style can cause you to fall short when making a strong positive impact.

How do you use colour in your wardrobe? How confident are you of your look? Using colour and style to boost your confidence really works!

Appearance

It may not be fair, but it is absolutely true, there are no second chances to make a great first impression. The way you look can be the decider when it comes to moving up the career ladder, getting a new job or meeting a new client. It also counts when making a great social impression. What we wear really does matter – make it part of your conscious self-marketing!

Adapt

Know your own style, wear it well and always adapt just enough to meet the expectations of your client, the culture of the company you work for or the social occasion you are attending – be a ‘Chameleon with Style’!

Accessories

For women, you can add jewellery, scarves, belts, bags etc. to really enhance an outfit. Accessories ensure you are able to wear the same outfit to the same place again and again and it will look different every time. They lift a less expensive outfit and add colour to a neutral outfit.
For men it is all about a good watch, a quality belt (belts should always be worn if you have belt loops!) cuff links etc.
For both men and women, always use a good quality pen and use a stylish folder or neat pad for writing notes! Avoid scraps of paper, throw away pens and worst of all – plastic carrier bags or tatty ruck sacks!

Who you are has a huge impact on how you do business and how you communicate and build relationships with your customers whether you work for yourself or a part of a large organisation. It is therefore vitally important that you explore and discover clear ideas for how you want to present yourself, using your natural strengths and personality, in your business and learn key tips to ensure that you are doing this in a way that will promote and grow your business or career.

Some questions you might ask yourself are:

What impact do I make on new clients? What 1st impression are they left with?

What are my natural strengths – how can I use these my in business/career?

How conscious, consistent and coherent is my image in my business/career?

Do people know what to expect when they deal with me?

How well does my business align to my values?

If someone was promoting me as a business person, what would they say about me? Is this what I want them to say?

If you own a business where you employ others – you might also want to ask these same questions about the impact they make for you in your business.

If you are an individual building your own business or career, an SMEs or a larger organisation, coaching or bespoke development programmes specialising in getting the right message to your clients through personal presentation and focused communication can be the answer to motivation and business growth.

We can explore your own or your employee’s natural style through profiling, coaching and team development, building trust and confidence to utilise strengths and identify challenges which can be addressed and for which solutions can be put in place.

Would you be able to describe your brand (that is – who you are and what you are about) to a future employer or a new client? If you don’t know who you are and how you want to be seen how can others make the right assessment of you?

Do you know how you are perceived by others? Have you asked?

When we meet people for the first time, as much as we would like to deny it, they will make a judgement and that will happen within the first 7 – 30 seconds – how much time does that give you to tell them about yourself? First impressions are critical, you are marketing a product – YOU!

Think about how you want to be seen.

Do you know your personality type? Knowing this will not put you in a ‘box’ it will give you the tools to work with your strengths. Do you tend towards introversion? If so how can you use this thoughtful approach? If you are more extrovert, how can you use your great communication to best advantage without over whelming?

What are your strengths? Are you happiest when able to use your creativity, explore new ideas and look at developing new products or are you a great relationship builder, loving to network and build trust with future prospective clients. Maybe you’re at your best when developing a business plan, organising an event or possibly working with budgets and numbers makes your day feel really satisfying.

Do you make the most of your strengths dedicating a higher proportion of your time to areas where your feel you can really have an impact?

Do you know your personal values? If you understand what really matters to you it will help you choose the right career and look for the most suitable employers for you. If you are running your own business this understanding will help you focus on the clients you want to work with and those who will get the most from your business.

Have you really considered carefully how you dress? What does what you wear say about you? There is a chance, if we all dress in dark suits white shirts and for men sober ties we become clones and loose our personal impact. In the current market you need to fit in enough to be accepted and stand out enough to have that extra edge!

The best approach would be to research the dress code of the organisation or client you are meeting. Then dress one step up from their everyday dress code. This will ensure that you fit in, but also show that you have made an effort. Don’t forget that it is important to retain you own personal style as well, this can be done through colour – subtle style elements to your clothes or by the accessories you choose. You can express your personality through your style!

Ladies – did you know that research suggests that women who wear well applied subtle make up are paid 23% higher than those who wear none!

Gentlemen – Facial hair is now seen as more acceptable in business, but concealing the lips and mouth is still a barrier to good communication. If you are going for a beard or stubble, you’ll need to spend more time, not less, on grooming!

7. What about your body language – how do you communicate when you first meet someone? How firm is your handshake? Do you make good eye contact? Do you sit and stand confidently? Most importantly – do you smile – with your eyes too!

8. Finally – you have made a fantastic first impression you have shown that you have thought about the culture of the organisation or client you are meeting, they can see that you will indeed fit in and are able to retain and express your own personality, so now is the time to clearly express your skill strengths that align so well with the job that is on offer.

Take time to look at ‘Brand You’ whether you are changing employers, moving up through an organisation or working for yourself, understanding your brand and how others see you will lead to more inner confidence and greater personal success!

If you would like to explore your personality, understand your strengths and challenges and how to apply this to your business, maybe taking the Talent Dynamics profile with a follow up coaching session would work for you. If so give me a call 07742 445243. We can talk about how it works and if it would be useful for you.

Have you ever walked into a room and noticed someone who looks like a vibrant out going person only to be surprised when you speak to them and find it difficult to engage them in conversation? Or perhaps you have approached a very subdued looking individual and then found they are bubbly and expressive.

Whether it’s consciously or unconsciously we tend to make an initial judgement on others in the room by what we see and engage in conversation with that thought in mind.

Considering our personal style when dressing can really help to ensure that we are encouraging an approach from others that we are comfortable with and results in great communication.

So if you are naturally quiet and introverted- dressing in elegant, sophisticated styles and wearing more muted but beautifully put together colours will encourage a more questioning, calmer approach.

For those who enjoy an enthusiastic and outgoing encounter, wearing a stronger look in contrasting and more vibrant colours – perhaps including some quirkiness in style will draw in the communication that works with your personality.

So many of use think a lot about what we say and often forget the impact of how we look!

It is now many years ago for me and yet I can still remember that feeling in my stomach when I realised it was time for me to re-enter the job market after having been at home for a number of years with my children.

What could I possibly do now? I had lost all my work skills hadn’t I? On top of that, I looked and felt like a ‘Mum’ in my eyes, my wardrobe had been reduced to mainly jeans, casual skirts and tops – oh yes I did have a suit in there somewhere, but it was now about 5 years out of date and to be honest a little tight in certain places!

I could now look after children – reasonably well, but not sure I could compete in the work place. However, what I didn’t think about was all those skills I had had to learn being a mum and how they could quite easily be transferred to the work place.

Organisation – the logistics of getting children to school, on to clubs, juggling housework, cooking and being there for your other half, takes some organising!

Listening – as a mum being a great listener is something we all do and take for granted

Negotiating – well that is obviously a key skill – bedtime, eating dinner, getting homework done, and much more all take negotiation skills.

Mentoringand Coaching – finding the best way to teach, advise, and guide!

Creativity – thinking of new ways to get things done, fabulous craft work with the children, maybe you have even got involved in some interior design in your home.

These are just five skills off the top of my head that so many mums have cultivated and use daily without even thinking about it. With at times a little adaption and maybe in some areas a bit more training these skills are great assets in the work place.

As for your wardrobe – a little colour & style advice, a trip to the shops (you don’t have to spend a fortune) and you are back on track! Have you seen my tips over the last few weeks? Here is a summary!

Find time to clear out your wardrobe – throw away things which are no longer working for you

Understand how you want to be seen – what is your style and body shape

Think about where you want to work – what clothes would work best?

If the dress code is business casual, think about buying some great basics, then mix and match, personalise with accessories

For a more formal environment – invest on one great suit, if possible with both a skirt and trousers, then you can buy slightly less expensive tops to vary the look. You can also add your personality to this look with great jewellery.

Remember, great grooming is essential – you can have the most amazing outfit, but if your hair is a mess, you have bitten down nails and no make up or if your clothes are creased, have marks on them or don’t fit well – all your efforts will be in vain!

So to have time to ensure you can go out the door looking fab – organise your time. Decide what you will be wearing the next morning – including shoes, jewellery and make up and have it all set out ready.

And I make no apologies for mentioning this again – make sure your wardrobe is orgainsed! Make sure that only the clothes you are currently using are in the cupboard and if possible arrange to reflect your lifestyle – if nothing else, put work outfits together for easy access!

If you would like some help with any of these areas, Book a session with me now – 07742 445243! You can do most of this yourself, but my clients tell me that it is so much easier – and more fun with some professional guidance!

Grooming isn’t about buying the most expensive toiletries, designer clothes and highly priced accessories, it is about taking the time to look good, because you value yourself and want to feel confident when you are out there talking to clients and suppliers. It is also about your clients being able to see that you have made an effort; this will lead them to believe that you will also take that same time and effort to provide them with great service.

If you have made an effort it will make you feel great and this will increase your energy and focus, helping you to deal with the challenges you face, not having to worry about how you look. This is why it is so important that the clothes you choose reflect the ‘real you’ so that you can feel comfortable both inside and out, whilst also making that positive impression on people you meet.

Choose an outfit that you are going to feel great in all day – relax and enjoy being ‘yourself’ – remember you are the successful, confident person you wish to be!

The small stuff really does count!

Tips about the small stuff:

1. Remember to wear a watch – it helps to ensure you are on time and also that you do not overrun.

2. How do your shoes look? Are they clean? Do they need a polish?

3. Are you clothes in good condition?

a. Are there any buttons missing?
b. Check the hem line to make sure it is not coming loose
c. Are there any marks – could they do with a wash or a dry clean?

4. Do your clothes fit well?

a. Do the buttons pull apart when you sit?
b. Do your clothes crease because they are too tight?
c. Are they too big? Pulled in with a belt to make them fit?

5. Ladies – have you added some make-up? This shows effort and completes the picture, it does not have to be heavy, just a touch will make an impact.

6 Consider your nails – having them manicured and polished is great – we forget how much we use our hands and how much they are on show! However at minimum, for both men and ladies make sure they are clean and well kept!

7. How clean is you hair and is it in an easy to manage style? Gentlemen, when did you last have a haircut? If you have a beard or other facial hair, is it neatly trimmed?

8. What accessories are you wearing? Do these enhance or detract from the image you want to create?

9. If you have to travel to a meeting remember:

a. Take a comb or brush – windy or rainy days cause havoc with the hair!
b. Remember your umbrella – drowned rat image is not so good!
c. If it is very warm weather, think about taking a spare shirt/top and some deodorant.
d. Choose good brief case or bag for your papers
e. Wear clothes that don’t crease!
f. Ladies – wear a comfortable pair of shoes and take the heels with you.
g. Take a cloth or have a tissue available to wipe over your shoes if necessary.

Get the small stuff right and you can relax, knowing that the effort you have made really makes a difference!

Then if you want to learn more about what colours and style work uniquely well for you – give me a call or ask for a voucher as a gift so that you can have a fabulous personal session!

Personal appearance has significant impact. When you get right, it will not only work visually for those you meet, but also inject that extra confidence helping you to deliver your very best.

In these difficult economic times what gives you the edge over competitors in business or in securing that new job? People buy people not CV’s and certificates, that extra edge is often about which of two great candidates will fit best with the company who is looking to employ them. So what does ‘Fitting in’ mean? It is all about the soft skills:

•How and who you are as a person
•Your mind set
•Your approach
•Your physical appearance

If we expand on physical appearance, it is about that all important first meeting with a prospective employer or new client; we all know the saying ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’ and it is so true!

When you prepare for an interview or indeed to meet a client for the first time, you will probably research areas such as, what the company does, how they do it, what their markets are and may look into the culture and values. How often do you spend time researching how you should present yourself personally? For most it is a question of pulling out the interview/meeting suit or outfit and off we go – will this work? Well sometimes, yes, but what if it doesn’t?

What if when looking at the culture you did notice that the dress code was business casual – what does that mean? This form of dress is very much open to interpretation, meaning different standards in different places.

Peter Landau talks about the concept of ‘Intelligent Dressing™’. Having completed seven years of research Peter’s findings suggest that the more research, thought and analysis that goes into personal appearance, the greater the personal success.

When you get it right, it will not only work visually for those you meet, but also inject that extra confidence in you to deliver your very best on the day!

If you need guidance and support to help you make that great visual impression it may be useful to think about using an image coach.

Give me a call on 07742 445243 for more information on how you can make that all important positive impression!

It is always a dilemma – how do you make sure you are dressing in a way that compliments your age? For me it is not a question of what clothes are right for what age group, it is much more about the styles and colours which work with, your body shape, your skin tone, your personality and your environment. It is not about fashion it’s about what works for you and makes you look fabulous!

Forget about the size label, make sure that your clothes fit well – no gaping buttons, over tight tops, trousers with pockets which poke out as they are too tight on the hips etc.

Think about your body shape – does the material work with your shape? Softer material which flows with your curves. More structured fabric which compliments your more angular figure

Ensure the length of your dress/shirt works for you – hemline finishing at a narrower part of your leg, either just above or just below the knee

Choose colours which flatter. Remember that as your hair colour changes, some of the stronger shades could become over powering (This does not mean wearing only pastels as they may well wash you out) just go a shade or two lighter.

If you like to be in tune with fashion, add this through your accessories as they are easily changed to keep up with the trends. Accessories are the magic touch which transform an outfit!

Something to think about – if a person saw you first from behind, would what you are wearing give them a clear impression of what to expect when meeting you face to face? Clothes which compliment your appearance and make an amazing first and lasting impression!

Style is such a personal thing, it’s about reflecting the real you at your very best! How do you find that elusive personal style? Here are a few ideas:

Think about your personality, are you:

Artistic – love to be creative/different/carefree

Dramatic – love statement looks/strong contrasts/chic

Feminine – appreciate softer shapes/lady-like/graceful

Classic – enjoy a more formal /elegant/composed/timeless look

Natural – seek comfort and a more casual/sporty style.

You may be just one of these styles or more often a combination of 2 or more.

Do you lean towards a certain style out of habit

May be because of a very corporate background or a recent need to take a more casual approach?

Are you confident that your current look is the real you?

Test this out, how do you really feel – how would you love to look given the opportunity and perhaps the courage?

Think about your lifestyle

What styles would give you confidence at work?

Would a different style work better in your leisure time?

How can you tie in the two different styles to support your personality?

Create your own style vision board

Take a canvas or a large sheet of paper, then look through magazines and pictures.

Think about the above 3 points and select pictures that represent your current and aspirational style.

Remember to consider your body shape when choosing

Now you know more about your style personality

Pull all you have learned about yourself together

Look through your wardrobe and see what works with your style

Invest in a few new items to bring your style to life

Remember that accessories are the magic which transforms and outfit!

‘Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.’ Rachel Zoe

‘Style is more character than clothes, more attitude than affluence. It’s you making visible your inner self. So forget what you learned about appearance not counting; you can no longer afford to be without style.’